C & K at the Space Centre

Been to Leicester working on another children`s rights event with sister in law A. It`s been great. This time it was held at the Space Centre. Travelled by train on Sunday, went straight to the building to set up, got back to the hotel at about 9.00p.m, then evening meal, as there were only 3 steaks left we had to slug it out between 15 of us, I got a steak. We ordered drinks, they only had one bottle of rose`, 4 bottles of Magners and a couple of lagers, nothing after that!!!!! E ordered risotto... when it came it looked more like porridge, M`s curry was bits of chicken sort of floating among the rice. Whilst waiting for my drink, I noticed a humpy backed beetle walking across the bar, when I drew this to the attention of the bartender he said

"Oh, I haven`t seen a one like that before."

So I concluded from this that there were many others of different varieties in the joint.

The building itself is of a gothic Victorian style, in fact it is used for murder mystery events, the advertising shows scenes which would not come amiss in an episode of Allo Allo. The furnishings in very dark wood, massive comfortable sofas, festooning morbidly decorated curtains and gold embellishments on the cornices and roses. There were two vicars in deep conversation when we got there, and at first I thought they were ready for a murder to begin, but no, actual vicars, talking about synods.

Needless to say I didn`t get a wink of sleep, left the curtains open and was up at 6.00am. Breakfast wasn`t much better than the evening meal. S and L ordered scrambled egg, when it was approaching I thought that there were herbs in it, no, it was burnt bits from the pan, when S queried it, the waitress said

"Oh, he does it in the wok."

I ordered a full English, the sausage was pink in the middle, didn`t dare comment in case I was murdered and used for the next play, but seriously, I once went out with a waiter, R, when a stroppy businessman complained about his steak, R brought it back, the chef tossed it around in a pan for a couple of seconds then gave it to R to take back. R stood at the door, tea towel over his arm, plate held aloft on four fingers of his left hand, lifted the steak with his right, spat under the steak and flourished out towards the customer. I have never complained in a restaurant since, but will not go back if I don`t like the meal.

The Space Centre was great, "One giant step for mankind" kept playing on our floor, Engineering, which drove us mad, but there were three guys dressed in stormtroopers suits with guns, C, a young lass on the team said

"I wonder what they look like under there."



Monday worked from 8.00 until 5.30, then straight for the train back which got into Newcastle at 10.00p.m. Just as we approached the station a message dotted across the display screen. Hard big bags must be put on the rack. So we are definitley back in Newcastle!!!

Took part in the poetry slam at the Cumberland Arms on Thursday, first time I`ve done this, quite scary, but great, some fabulous acts. Steve Urwin deservedly won, so accomplished and confident, need to take some hints. Lots of good inspiration at this event, surprised myself that I got to the semi final.

Still working on a memories book for People`s History on Benwell, where I grew up, I need 40,000 words and 180 photos for next July. This is something dear to my heart and top of my priorities at the moment, I always beat myself up since my Dad died nearly three years ago, I didn`t ask enough questions, hence I am knee deep in family history, ancestry projects and keeping the memories of our community alive.